The award, newly created by ASSA AB, was presented to Coop Nära, part of the supermarket chain Coop, at a festive ceremony in Stockholm.

Coop Nära was recognized for cutting the number of robberies at its stores from 37 in 2005 to seven in 2007. At the peak of the robberies, the chain conducted a risk inventory and made the environment more secure for staff and customers.

“We identified vulnerable areas, when and how the robberies occurred and who the robbers were,” says Petrus Bohlin, Security Manager at Coop Sweden. “Most people believe that cash robberies are unplanned, but when the vulnerable areas were covered we saw an instant decrease.”

A 20% investment, including a cash management system called Safe Pay, resulted in an 80% reduction in the number of robberies.

“The award shows that we have done something good by reducing the amount of robberies and spared our staff and customers the experience of being robbed. Robberies can be prevented – we’re proof of that,” Bohlin says.

ASSA AB’s involvement in the awards reflects its close cooperation with the retail sector. Retail has high demands on security solutions, requiring a balance between openness for costumers, safety for staff and cash management.

“It’s important to fully understand future requirements within the retail sector to deliver the latest product solutions,” says Pär Sandevik, head of retail segment at Assa AB.